1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for treating malignant tumors by local hyperpyrexia.
The invention is aimed at treating malignant tumors in any part of a human body with single or multiple neoplasms and their metastases.
2) Description of the Related Art
It is known from Soviet and foreign literature that cancer cells die at 43.5.degree. C. within 90 minutes and that normal cells survive at 45.5.degree. C. after the same exposure.
As far back as five thousand years ago general hyperpyrexia of a human body at 44.degree. C. was practiced in China for periods as long as two hours so as to treat any disease. However, about 95% of patients could not withstand high temperature and died.
Also known in the art is a method for treating malignant tumors by local hyperpyrexia at a temperature which is high enough to kill cancer cells by acting with an electromagnetic field (cf. N. N. Alexandrov et al. Primenenie Gipertermii i Giperglikemii pri Lechenii Zlokachestvennykh Opukholei/Application of Hyperpyrexia and Hyperglycemia in Treating Malignant Tumors/, Moscow, "Moditsina Publishing House", 1980, pp. 91-95).
When this prior art method is used for the treatment, a portion of a patient's body is exposed, in a zone where a neoplasm is located, to an alternating electromagnetic radiation in a microwave band to achieve a local hyperpyrexia of the neoplasm to 43.5.degree. C. for about two hours. This method is, however, only applicable for treating surface malignant tumors such as tumors on the skin surface, in subcutaneous fat, and in a muscle at a maximum depth of 2 cm since the use of SHF oscillations (2450 MHz) allows tissues to be heated to 43.5.degree. C. to a depth of 1.5 to 2.0 cm only. Temperature than gradually decreases to 41.degree.; 40.degree.; 39.degree.; and 38.degree. C. Meanwhile it is known that growth of cancer tumors is stimulated at 38.degree. to 40.degree. C. When a high-frequency field (13.56 MHz) is used, a non-uniform heating of tissues takes place, and the subcutaneous fat layer is overheated 17 times greater than the muscular layer which results in burns when attempts are made to carry out treatment of neoplasms of internal organs using the conventional method.
Also known in the art is an apparatus for treating malignant tumors by local hyperpyrexia using an electromagnetic field. The known apparatus comprises a common base supporting a power supply, a controlled source of electromagnetic radiation connected to its output and having an output to which are connected emitters coupled to the source by means of flexible holders, temperature pickups connected, via an amplifier unit, to a first input of a comparison circuit, a temperature setter connected to a second input of the comparison circuit, and a temperature control unit having an input connected to an output of the comparison circuit and an output connected to a control input of the source of electromagnetic radiation (cf. N. N. Alexandrov et al. "Primenenie Gipertermii i Giperglikemii pri Lechenii Zlokachestvennykh Opukholei" "Application of Hyperpyrexia and Hyperglycemia in Treating Malignant Tumors"/, 1980, "Meditsina Publishing House", Moscow, pp. 96-140).
This prior art apparatus allows a temperature set up by the setter to be automatically maintained in the zone of a neoplasm. However, this apparatus can only be used for treating surface neoplasms in view of the above considerations in respect of the known treatment method.